Transcript Post-Impressionism - Rogers State University

MIDDLE AGES….church dominance
EARLY RENAISSANCE.....
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Experimentation
Heaven to earth centered thought
HIGH RENAISSANCE…
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Creative explosion
Domination of Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo
Balance, control, reason
RENAISSANCE OF THE NORTH
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Protestant Reformation
Artist as individual (Durer)
MANNERISM
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Academic…imitation
Free…original expressions
Restless, anxious, distortion, uncertainty,
unusual colors
BAROQUE…
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Change…political, scientific, philosophical,
artistic
Counter-reformation
Passion, exuberance, “over-decorated
wedding cake”
Rubens, Rembrandt
ROCOCO…
 Art for the aristocracy
 Artificial, frivolous
NEO-CLASSIC...
 Perfection
 Controlled by academies
 Age of Enlightenment
ROMANTIC…
 Revolutionary
REALISM…
 The Truth
IMPRESSIONISM…
 Experiments with light, color, and
atmosphere
 Advances in technology…portable canvas
& paints
 Monet
Post-Impressionism
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First art to concentrate on a psychological
perception of reality
Differs from other art in that it…
Simplifies
Omits Details
Concentrates on the significance of form
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Term Post-Impressionism loosely applies to
artists between Impressionism and Pre-Modern
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Labels now apply to ATTITUDE and to STYLE
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By 1910…three main categories were obvious:
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Expressionism
Abstractionism
Fantastic art
Each of these categories were established by a
major artist: Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin
Two Peak Periods (from 1886-1905)
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Question before…What does this painting represent?
Question now…What does this painting make us feel?
“A painting should have more in common
with a piece of music than with a
photograph”
“Minor” Post-Impressionists
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Seurat
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Toulouse-Latrec
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Rousseau
Self Portrait
1875
PAUL CEZANNE
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Recluse…perfectionist
“Father” of Modern Art
Indifferent to “correct” art
“the artist’s task is to represent…NOT to
reproduce…nature”
….”make of Impressionism something
solid”
PAUL CEZANNE cont.
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“….look for the cylinder, the sphere, and
the cone”
art was a “visual research problem”
1883…”bones of nature”
An artist must distort whatever in nature
does not fit his/her concept of beauty
Cezanne must be studied for a long time
PAUL GAUGUIN
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Vocal, flamboyant, recognized
Wanted freedom…journeyed around the
world in his search…wanted to return to
the natural BUT with a modern expression
Became recognized as a symbolist and a
liberator of color
Gauguin cont.
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Gauguin’s art aims at five qualities:
 Ideational
 Symbolist
 Synthesis
 Subjective
 Decorative
 Strong,
selfish personality
VINCENT VAN GOGH
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ENTIRE LIFE A SEARCH FOR SELF AND
SELF-EXPRESSION
Ten years of creative activity…completed
three phrases:
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a) August 1880-February 1886
b) February 1886-February 1888
c) February 1888-July 1890
EARLY LIFE
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Father: Minister of a Dutch Reformed Church
Van Gogh Family: Art and Religion
Brother Theo born 1857
Age of 15, first job…
Eugenie Loyer
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Tried teaching
Worked in bookshop
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Studied Theology
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Religious work…Belgium
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Returned home
PHASE I
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1880…Studied art
1881…Cousin Kee
Hand in flame incident
Clasina Maria Hoornik (Sien)
1883…Returned to Parents
Margot Begemann
Opposition to marriage
 1885…Death
of Father
 First interest in artwork
 First exhibit in August, 1885
 Antwerp…Starvation
 Interest
in Japanese
woodcuts
JAPONISME
Craze for all things Japanese
1867 … Paris Exposition Universelle
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Embraced by the public
Japanese woodblock prints of particular interest to Impressionists and
Post Impressionists
1885
1886
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1888
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Van Gogh began collecting Japanese prints
Bing Gallery next door to Van Gogh’s apartment
Van Gogh began to paint copies of famous Japanese designs
Arles work shows influence …
Letter to sister …
“Theo wrote that he offered you Japanese woodblock prints. That is
certainly the best way to understand which direction the light and colorful
painting has taken. Here I need no Japanese woodblock prints, because I
am here in Japan. This is why I only have to open my eyes and paint the
impressions that I receive.”
PHASE II
Moved to Paris
 Associated with Impressionists
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November 1887…Met Paul Gauguin
PHASE III
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Moved to Arles
Utopian art colony
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October 23…Gauguin arrives in Arles
December 23…Rachel incident
March 1889…Townspeople petition
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April 17…Theo marries Johanna Bonger
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May 8, 1889…Vincent admitted to mental hospital
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May 1890…Under care of Dr. Paul Gachet
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July 27, 1890…Age of 37…shot himself
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January 25…Death of Theo
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Legacy
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Don McLean’s song “Vincent”
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Anne Sexton poem “Starry Night”